letters
TO THE EDITOR
idea to fund it with the cutting of the
irreplaceable Elliot State Forest is nothing
short of a brainless “bake sale.”
Let’s pretend that we would like our
future graduating classes to help amend
our past environmental mistakes and learn
to manage our planet in a more intelligent
and caring way.
It would seem extremely self-effacing
to continue with your current plan when
the very sector of society which you are
professing to assist would suffer the most by
its passage. The environmental devastation
created by this plan would be irreversible for
generations to come, and the opportunity
to teach our children how to preserve the
legacy of nature, lost forever.
Evidently, any past educational system
funding provided by public land depletion
has not served us well.
Terry Richardson
Springfi eld
PROVIDE BASIC NEEDS
For the growing homeless population
of young people it is especially diffi cult.
Our kids grew up here expecting more job
opportunities. Until we fi gure out how to
make jobs we must provide shelter, food
and basic needs.
Our newly formed Homeless Action
Coalition
(email
homeless-action@
yahoogroups.com) appreciates the effort of
many to provide food and shelter when it
is freezing outside but we need funding to
provide basic needs, counseling, job training
and opportunities. County and city funds
have been cut. Now the community needs
to respond with donations and more citizen
involvement. Money alone won’t solve this
challenge — we need everyone working to
reverse growing homelessness and not allow
it to continue with so little hope for change.
Visit or call St. Vincent de Paul/Egan
Warming Centers, Shelter Care, Catholic
Community Services, First Place Family
Development Center, Eugene Service
Station, Hosea Youth Center, Looking
Glass, Centro Latino, White Bird, Eugene
Mission, St. John Bosco House.
The year 2011 must have a new
beginning! Donate and/or volunteer!
Ruth Duemler
Eugene
back into the budget to help our schools
maintain quality allowing our schools to
stay open a half day more for learning by
our students, or teacher training time.
2. The School Board is elected by the
voters. Ultimately, the administration staff
will be more accountable to parents and
students, instead of a district superintendent,
found and hired by a search committee.
3. The time, effort and money expended
by a search committee to hire an outside
search fi rm can be redirected to the actual
“stakeholders” of our school district and
schools, i.e. our children/ students.
Mark Callahan
Eugene
UNSAFE CROSSWALKS
In the year 2008 Eugene developed
many crosswalks meant for just
pedestrians, in hope of a safer crossing
spot for all people. I am writing on behalf
of Dave Heying, author of “Holding the
Bag” in the Jan. 6 letters.
I do not own a car, so most of my
transportation is by walking and taking
the bus. My walking experience around
Eugene has not been only a bad experience,
but also very dangerous and frightening.
In 2008 when these crosswalks fi rst
developed, I was on my way home from
school, and I had to cross at River Road.
A car with a family in it did not see me and
slammed on its brakes and at the last second
saved my life. After the driver came to an
abrupt stop, there was a three car pileup,
with only minor injuries. The sound of the
hitting cars sounded like gunshots and has
permanently made me avoid crossing busy
streets. I was 15 at the time.
My experience, and I could imagine
many others, just like Heying’s, has been
very traumatic. The offi cers involved in
accidents like this one should be more
sympathetic towards the pedestrians
because that’s the reason the crosswalks
are there. Drivers who abuse and pay no
attention to the pedestrian crosswalks
should be punished for it. I hope more
drivers are aware of this problem and try
to avoid it as much as possible.
Leila McElroy
North Eugene
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WORSHIPPING HORDES
CUT THE ADMIN
I have two daughters in the 4J School
District. During winter break in December, I
was trying to come up with ways of “fi nding”
the “optimistic” $22 million needed to
continue to give our kids a high quality
education next year. The worst solution
is to cut teachers. I have great respect and
admiration for teachers, and they are the key
to the education of our children.
A concurrent solution was to cut
administration staff. Time and effort need to
be focused on reconfi guring/ consolidating
administration staff, instead of schools.
I suggest that we start at the top with the
superintendent. In the shadow of a $22
million budget shortfall, now is the time to be
nontraditional and unconventional.
I propose that administration staff
department heads report directly to the
School Board. This has several benefi ts.
1. Nearly $200,000 in annual salary,
benefi ts and bonuses can be redirected
I was intrigued by the recent (1/6) News
Briefs: “Eugeneans Concerned for Bahá’ís
In Iran.” After brief research on the Bahá’ís
and their latest messenger from god,
Bahá’u’lláh, I’ve come to the conclusion
that these folks, along with other “faith”
believers, are developmentally disabled
adults.
Iran’s persecution of these unfortunates
is the one thing we should all agree is
wrong. However, gathering for a day
of fanciful prayer with other illusioned
sects and their religious-selling leaders
accomplishes nothing, except to make
them all feel good. Watching Bugs Bunny
cartoons also helps people feel good.
Perpetuating and supporting the
childlike beliefs of developmentally
disabled adults in the 21st century is a
major step backward in true spiritual
growth. It’s a cop-out, and it explains
one of the reasons our Earth continues to
be trashed. The worshipping hordes —
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EUGENE WEEKLY JANUARY 13, 2011 5